The ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018 Bulletin Electric Railroaders’ Association, Incorporated Vol. 61, No. 8 August, 2018

The Bulletin TECH TALK Published by the Electric Railroaders’ by Jeffrey Erlitz Association, Inc. P.O. Box 3323 Over the weekend of July 13-14, the Long Avenue Line in December, 1940. Grand Central Station Island Rail Road placed in service the very The new is controlled from the New York, NY 10163 th first segment of Farmingdale to Ronkonkoma new 34 Street Master Tower, which is locat- For general inquiries, double-track on the Main Line, between CI ed up on the mezzanine in the closed-off or Bulletin submissions, Interlocking (west of Central Islip station) and passageway between the and contact us at nd [email protected] Ocean Interlocking (west of Ronkonkoma 42 Street stations. As is custom these days, or on our website at station). This first segment is just short of five the new control panel was built by Mauell erausa.org/contact miles long. Use of the two main tracks was Corporation of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. Since

Editorial Staff: short-lived, though, as right after midnight on was the prime contractor, it, of the following Saturday, July 21, eastbound course, used its own Model 5 switch ma- Jeffrey Erlitz Track 2 was removed from service between chines and Type AT signal heads. The train Editor-in-Chief those same two points so that the wood ties stops, however, are NYCT-standard Twinco Ronald Yee could be replaced with concrete ties. Model PS-1 equipment. Tri-State News and As of now, the two remaining single-track Elsewhere in this issue mention was made Commuter Rail Editor segments are east of the regarding another cut-in of CBTC on the Alexander Ivanoff to west of the and east of Subdivision “A” (IRT) Flushing Line. There North American and the Brentwood station to west of the Central were two separate cut-ins, both on express World News Editor Islip station. This second piece of single-track Track M. The first of these, from 33rd Street th David Ross is quite short, a little over 1½ miles. I pre- Interlocking to 74 Street Interlocking, was Production Manager sume that this small section of double-track placed in service over the same weekend, th Copyright © 2018 ERA will be placed in service in the next couple of May 26-29, as the final installment at 34 weeks. At that time Brent Interlocking, at the Street-Sixth Avenue, mentioned just above. former end of the short double-track section Twenty-six automatic signals were removed built during the electrification project in 1987- from service and one new automatic signal 8, will be removed from service. was placed in service. The second cut-in was Over on the subway, the new interlocking at over the weekend June 30-July 2 and in- 34th Street-Sixth Avenue was placed in ser- volved the segment from 74th Street Inter- vice over three weekends in May. This work, locking to Willets Point Interlocking. Twenty- under contract S-32764, is being performed eight automatic signals were removed from In This Issue: by TC Electric, LLC, sub-contractor to Alstom service and one automatic signal had its The Genesis of Signaling, Incorporated. The new signals on grade timing feature removed. Dashing Dan — southbound local Track B1 were done May On both of these weekends, the master 12-14, southbound express Track B3 was control panels at Queensboro Plaza and Enter the North done May 19-21, and both northbound 111th Street, the maintainer’s control panels Side Division tracks, B2 and B4, were done over the long at 33rd Street, 74th Street, 111th Street, and …Page 2 Memorial Day weekend, May 26-29. The old Willets Point, and the dispatcher’s indication 68-lever General Company panel at Main Street were all modified to re- (GRS) Model 5 interlocking machine was not flect these signal changes. one of the oldest machines on Subdivision Many of the automatic signals on Track M “B2” (IND), having been placed into service that were removed dated from about 1938 sometime before the opening of the Sixth (Continued on page 4)

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000 THE GENESIS OF DASHING DAN — ENTER THE NORTH SIDE DIVISION by George Chiasson (Continued from July, 2018 issue)

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ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018 A SPECIAL TRIP OUT OF by Alexander Ivanoff On April 7, 1991, bid Grand Central Terminal sidelined because of the necessity to have automatic farewell after spending its first nineteen years dividing train doors at Grand Central Terminal. Despite the in- its New York operations. Until that point, there was no convenience, the familiar announcements of a sold out way to bring trains coming from the Hudson Line (used train were there and, not surprisingly, the train was 90% primarily by Metro-North but also by Amtrak to link Up- full. One thing I found delightful: there was no conga state New York with ) into Penn Station line for boarding like at Penn Station. I hope this carries until the construction and completion of the Empire back over to Penn Station, as it makes boarding far Connector, a tunnel that links the west end of the Penn more peaceful. Station interlocking with the old , which It is pretty neat to ride in an Amfleet on the Park Ave- had not really been in service since the 1970s. A little nue Viaduct while a train from Poughkeepsie comes trivia is warranted here: Amtrak’s consolidation of oper- inbound. The same for the lift bridge. The ations at Penn Station predates rest of the trip was relatively uneventful, with the train printing in color! arriving in Albany too late to take the CDTA bus to Growing up, it saddened me that only commuter trains Downtown. As a result, I ended up walking the Dunn operated from Grand Central Terminal, and having Memorial Bridge, which is a wonderful walk when the grown up on the in Brewster, I had a solid weather is nice enough. For brunch I went to the Iron bias against Penn Station (that bias has lessened). Gate Café, where I had one of the better omelets I have Since 1991, there has been a rare occasion or two ever had. Since brunch was quickly served, I had time where Amtrak would end up at Grand Central Terminal to stroll around a very quiet Downtown Albany, including (either for a photo op, a day of trains like in 2014, or for grabbing myself photographic proof of being in front of some rare weekend work). But it was never long-term. the State Capitol, which looks far smaller than one Metro-North, despite dropping the “Commuter” from its would think. name, is not really an intercity railroad. While it does There were some peculiarities with this trip. For one, link the City of New York with the cities of White Plains, the absence of a Quik-Trak contradicts Amtrak’s own Yonkers, Poughkeepsie, New Rochelle, Stamford, marketing. I went on a scavenging hunt back in June to Bridgeport, New Haven, Danbury, and Waterbury, Metro see where they were, and after asking a less-than- -North simply does not qualify. thrilled MNR Station Agent, I was informed that there The derailments at Penn Station in 2017 made full are none. Not sure who to blame on this one, but it operations there impossible due to needed repairs, and, would be nice for those of us who find the Amtrak app as a result three weekday trains were fussy with Amtrak Guest Rewards redemption tickets. rerouted to Grand Central during the Summer. From the Amtrak should work to ensure that AGR redemption start there were rumors that Amtrak would return to itineraries show up properly. Grand Central in 2018 on a larger scale. Like with many While several realities make it challenging (from the Amtrak rumors, this one was confirmed when in the fact that Amtrak trains are primarily not push-pull trains Spring Amtrak started changing itineraries. The nature to Grand Central running at peak capacity), I would wel- of the beast was such that the final schedule was only come some permanent intercity rail service at Grand made public just a few days before service out of Grand Central. Even to have select Albany trains operate out Central even started! of Grand Central would restore some of the magic of As Grand Central is my spiritual train station (my the terminal that was lost years ago, even with the res- home station is technically Middletown on the Port Jer- toration work that happened in the 1990s. Part of the vis Line), I felt it obligatory to take the train to Albany issue has been resolved, with Amtrak’s dual-mode loco- from Grand Central Terminal. I cashed in about 3,000 motives receiving escape nose hatches like the ones Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) Points for the privilege. found on the Metro-North locomotives. (Speaking of Even with a quick itinerary change, I was glad to make dual-modes, Amtrak is supposed to at a later date modi- the trip. fy the escape hatches on the Metro-North dual-modes, After fretting as to whether I would make it after slow which is a better design than the one factory-supplied running on the 6, I got to Grand Central about 7:10 AM solution). However, with the current management situa- with enough time to head to Track 23, where the Adiron- tion at Amtrak, I find that a service out of Grand Central, dack was waiting. This Summer, the trains are a bit dif- for the foreseeable future, is just a dream. That said, the ferent: all of the Amfleet II cars assigned to the Adiron- fact that it has happened in my lifetime is something dack and have been either reassigned or that brings me joy.

Tech Talk in preparation for the first World’s Fair of 1939-40. Those were the signals, US&S Style R (or R2), with the (Continued from page 1) notably larger lenses. when the express track was signaled for the first time, (Continued on page 5)

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000 CAR UPDATE Subdivision “A” News and 1910 were based out of Corona as of early July, Just as fleet incorporation of the R-179s has begun to faithfully holding down their assignment to refuse job “7- accumulate momentum and grab most of the attention Ash” arranged in pairs. This is because the “EP0”-type on Subdivision “B,” the final few moves related to arrival R-127 and R-134 work motors designated for this duty (and conversion) of Subdivision “A”’s 506-car R-188 are sidelined for the summer (at least) due to reliability fleet played out through the spring and early summer of issues. 2018, at last bringing that 6½-year odyssey to a close. Conversely, the one train of R-142As used on the 6 As concluding events transpired quickly through mid- in the first few weeks of 2018 continued to pop up until March in the advent of “full” CBTC on the 7, use of the about February 21, at which time it also evaporated, four remaining R-62A trains virtually collapsed at a cor- until on March 19 it was observed that 7595-7600 along responding rate, with only one or two such consists with 7606-10 were again in regular 6 service on week- seen during rush hours on weekdays. First to then de- days (with 7601-5 as an alternate set). These 15 cars part for the 6 on March 14 were ten of the single units then persisted until all were transferred (back) to the 4 coupled as 5-car sets (1916-20 and 1961-5), after which in one final stroke through two separate moves on May there tended to be one very last 11-car SMEE train 22. Like the R-62A finale in Queens, this also marked hanging on across the following two weeks (of varying an operational landmark for the New Technology gener- consist make-up) until it finally vanished within the af- ation R-142As, which ended their 18-year assignment ternoon rush hour of Friday, March 30. Not only did this on the 6. There they were first introduced to the riding spell the end of the R-62A era on the 7, which had public as they started service back on July 10, 2000. been initiated through the arrival of lone pilot car 2155 Two somewhat obscure shifts which also took place in August, 2001 (with the first 11-car train in revenue during this timeframe were the homecoming of Kawasa- service the following February 19), but that otherwise ki R-62s 1406-10 and 1456-60 from the 1 to the 3 on anonymous event also drew down the curtain on the March 30 (no relation to the last R-62As on the 7) and reign of SMEE equipment serving the Flushing Line in the return of R-142s 7116-25 from the 4 to the 5 on general, which dated back 70 years to the dedication of May 21, coincident to relocation of the last R-142As the first brand-new train of R-12s by Mayor William from the 6 to the 4 noted above. One correction was O’Dwyer at Main Street on July 13, 1948. This was ex- offered to the previous (January, 2018) Update, which actly twice the length of service (1915-50) given by the showed that former Corona single-unit 1939 had actual- original IRT Steinway cars with which this now-critical line to Queens was created. ly been shifted to the S/Grand Central Shuttle as early With CBTC in full effect starting on March 31, the 35 R as August 7, 2017 (complete with photographic proof). -62As remaining at Corona were then technically On or about March 12, 2018 Livonia-assigned single “marooned” until their disposition was decided, and they unit 1928 was first observed in a “Cuomo” state on the could gradually be removed through pre-arranged non- Grand Central S, with its middle seating removed and revenue moves. This process occurred over the next modified center stanchions. As part of a weekend G.O. three months, with 5-car unit 2071-5 not arriving at associated with the Clark Street Tunnel rehabilitation, Westchester and being placed in 6 service until May 3. 3-assigned R-62 trains were used on the 2, complete Next to go to the 6 on May 17 were 10 of the remain- with proper signage, on March 24-25. In addition, an ing single units, composed of two coupled 5-car sets as advertised equipment shortage affecting the 1 (due to follows: 1954-1957-1958-1959-1960 and 1942-1938- air-conditioning issues) brought about the employment 1924-1926-1934, with the ends of each (1954, 1960 of some R-142s from the 2 and 5 on the Broadway- th and 1942, 1934) set up as full-width cabs. The other 7 Avenue Local over the weekend of June 30-July 1. singles were then drawn (officially) into the work service Subdivision “B” News pool of equipment, with 4-tripper cars 1901, 1904, 1907, By July 1, 2018 there were 80 of the “4-car” R-179s on and 1908 making their way to Westchester on June 1 NYCT property overall, with seven 8-car trains (56 cars) (then 1901 and 1908 later finding their way into utility available for passenger service on the J/Z. The duty out of 207th Street), while leftover car 1923 had monthly delivery summary through the year’s first half migrated to 239th Street for work service as of June 21. showed 3094-7 coming in January; 3082-5 and 3098- Each of these transfers was accomplished with units 3101 in February; 3078-81 and 3110-3 in March; 3102-5 2081-5 or 2091-5 employed as lead “horses,” after and 3114-7 in April; and 3106-9 along with 3118-21 in which the latter was permanently relocated to May. The rate of arrival picked up appreciably during on June 22, followed, at last, by unit 2081-5 on June 26, June, with 3074-7, 3122-5, 3126-9, and 3134-7 all on 2018 when it was first witnessed in service on the 6. hand by the end of the month. Interestingly, by early July single R-62A 1907 was train- A third train of R-179s (3086-9 with 3094-7) was finally lining with long-retired ex-Flushing, World’s Fair R-33 introduced to J/Z revenue service on March 5, with “Redbird” 9324 on the Bronx-based garbage train. the first six Phase I R-32s (3445/3468, 3714-5, 3770-1) Meanwhile 4-tripper singles 1902, 1903, 1905, 1906, (Continued on page 5)

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ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018

New York City Subway Car Update Phase Is and up to seven full-length R-46 trains at any time, seven days a week. (Continued from page 4) As for Bombardier’s “pilot” duet of 5-car R-179 units to be displaced from the J/Z moving on to 207th Street (3010-9), after a long series of tests the implementation of their necessary refinements was tossed to the builder (AC) the same day. This set a pattern for the initial over this past winter, with cars 3015-9 being disassem- round of new car acceptance, which looks to continue bled and trucked back to their Plattsburgh facility in late through much of 2018 if not beyond. The R-179s will March, followed by sisters 3010-4 as of May 23. They first address the equipment needs at East New York, and their companion 110 5-car R-179s will eventually then eventually enable a sufficient expansion of the A return to NYCT later in 2018-9 as their acceptance pro- fleet to allow for the complete use of full-length (8-car) gram proceeds and they eventually work their way onto R-46 trains on the . A third leg of the R-179s’ arrival is C the A. also planned to coincide with the broader rolling stock Elsewhere on the Subdivision “B” front, R-68 link requirements associated with the long-term closure of 2900-3 was restored to passenger service out of its the (Canarsie) Tunnel planned between L home at Coney Island (BGNW) around April 30. This April, 2019 and July, 2020. The latter, and the associat- was after spending 2½ years in the shop to have its car ed growth in rolling stock requirements that it engen- bodies mended, due to the damage they received dur- ders, will likely preclude any direct retirement of existing ing a September, 2015 derailment which knocked the equipment as the R-179s arrive. Beyond that timeframe cars into a decaying bench wall near the station at Hoyt- fleet events promise to be dictated by the expected start Schermerhorn Streets. On or about July 2, Pitkin-based of deliveries under the R-211 contract recently awarded R-46 links 5850-3 and 5954-7 were imported for use on to Kawasaki Rail Car. Be that as it may, another of the the G, where in addition to normal duties they and the many “hiccups” that have plagued the R-179 contract line’s standard R-68s have been used to support a new forced their temporary but complete withdrawal from rush hour Crosstown service between Court Square service on March 20, a hiatus which endured for 3½ and the middle siding at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues weeks until April 13. A fourth new train, composed of (see car assignment on the back page). It is possible 3082-5 and 3098-3101, was then released for service this is a forerunner of extra G service to be provided in on April 18, followed by the fifth (3050-7) on May 4; the th sixth (3078-81 and 3110-3) on May 16; and the seventh the coming months as part of the 14 Street (Canarsie) (3102-5 and 3114-7, in separate consists) on June 22. Tunnel closure mentioned above. Member Bill Zucker An eighth train (3122-5 and 3134-7) was in an ad- reports that an R-46 train from Pitkin (5882-5 and 5906- vanced state of pre-operational testing as of July 1. 9) was using the Brighton Line’s southbound express A corresponding shift of Phase I R-32s from East New track to test an emergency brake system modification York to 207th Street was resumed a bit warily as the ac- middays between Avenue M and Kings Highway from ceptance of R-179s began again, then was carried out March 7- 28. On June 14, he also observed the morning rush hour R-46 “Special” that travels as an R between somewhat more readily as confidence in the new cars th th nd was gained. By July 1 though, the transfer of existing 95 Street-Bay Ridge and 96 Street-2 Avenue, then returns to Stillwell Avenue as a Q, making a second equipment was still only equal to half the quantity of th incoming cars. Sent from the J/Z to the A and C on round trip back to 96 Street in the late AM before final- ly being rested at Coney Island Yard. April 25 were 3818-9 and 3888-9, followed by 3896-7 st and 3928-9 on May 12; 3520/3891, 3621/3644, and Through M service between 71 -Continental and Met- 3924-5 on May 15; and 3682-3, 3718-9, 3730-1, and ropolitan Avenues was resurrected, as expected, on 3810-1 on or about June 18. The 84 Phase Is which April 30, 2018 and the 24 Morrison-Knudsen- remained at East New York in early July were still to be overhauled R-42s which had been isolated at Fresh found on the J/Z at just about any time, though ob- Pond Yard for the interim shuttle immediately reunited scured among the broad array of Morrison-Knudsen- with their 26 mates. Each has been observed back in overhauled R-42s, R-143s, R-160s, and now R-179s their previous J/Z routine as June progressed into already present. As the Phase Is’ quantity has in- July, though they should also be sent elsewhere creased to some 138 at 207th Street in recent months, (eventually) as the R-179 acceptance at East New York so has their presence on the A, which now sports up- continues. The new “Myrtle Viaduct” (nee Myrtle- wards of eight or nine trains of R-32s during rush hours Chambers connector) is very much the contemporary- (plying both branches), plus perhaps a half-dozen 8-car looking black-painted steel successor to its 1913-built sets on C. The latter has also been a mixed bag for ancestor, which was a somewhat artful structure of several months, with about ten 8-car R-160A consists (unreinforced) concrete that had performed its function now providing base service, supplemented by the well over a full century of service.

Tech Talk Automatic Train Protection-Manual mode and not full automatic mode. (Continued from page 3) Trains running on this segment are still only using the

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000 RAIL TRACTION TO THE REGION’S BEACHES by Alexander Ivanoff

For as long as New York has had railroads, they have Lines offer frequent service to the shore, and NJ Transit been catalysts to get people to and from the beach. In has often promoted summer beach travel packages, fact, what is today the BMT Brighton Line (BQ) origi- which include a beach pass. During the summer, NJ nally started out in 1878 as the Brooklyn, Flatbush & Transit adds additional Bay Head shuttle service to ac- Coney Island Railway, with its primary purpose being to commodate the crowds and promotes service to Mon- carry beachgoers. Since the 1870s, the region’s rail net- mouth Park. work has expanded (and in some cases, unfortunately The interesting aspect of each transit option to the contracted) but that rail network is still essential to mov- beach is that the majority of them are one-seat rides ing thousands of sun-seekers to and from the region’s from New York City proper using electric traction — few most popular summer destinations. Having spent many require a transfer to another rail service or bus service. of my summers on the beach growing up, I almost al- The subway services and the LIRR to Long Beach are ways enjoy any chance to get to the beach I can get. no more than a ¼-mile walk to the respective beach- Coney Island is, of the region’s beaches, one of the fronts. busiest and also one of the most accessible. The New York City is by no means the only place in the DFNQ all terminate at the massive Stillwell Avenue United States where the beach can be reached via elec- complex, which is just a stone’s throw away from the tric traction, or at least not anymore! In 2016, the Phase Coney Island boardwalk, Luna Park, and the beach II extension of the Los Angeles Metro (LACMTA) Expo proper. It is also worth noting that the Stillwell Avenue Line opened, reaching Santa Monica. That line has complex is one of the largest elevated railway stations been a resounding success, with LA Metro unable to in the world. keep up with ridership demand. Like with New York, the The 1956-era conversion of the west end of the Long beach in Santa Monica is a quick walk from the Expo Island Rail Road’s Far Rockaway Branch to become the Line terminal, and when I walked it back in 2017, it was IND Rockaway Line (AS) has ensured that New York about fifteen minutes, not including stops. For a more City has some of the best public beach access by trans- exotic beach trip in Southern California, the San it. I frequently make summer trips to the Rockaways by Clemente Pier (and beach) are accessible via Metrolink subway to take advantage of the wonderful beachgoing trains on weekends and on Amtrak seven days a week. that the Rockaways has to offer. Oceanside is also accessible by rail. Speaking of the , many of the While it does not currently go to the beach, Norfolk’s beaches in Nassau and Suffolk Counties are accessible The Tide LRT line could if the city of Virginia Beach by either the LIRR directly or by a combination of LIRR were to join in the partnership; however in 2016 voters and either NICE (Nassau Inter-County Express) or an- rejected the proposal. The right-of-way, which is publicly other transit provider/shuttle bus service. For instance, owned, could at a later date expand the line to the on July 7, I made a day trip to Montauk and had the op- beach. portunity to utilize a community shuttle (the Hampton With so many of America’s finest beaches accessible Hopper to be exact) as part of my rail-to-beach travels. by transit, whether it be by bus or by rail, the relaxing For those seeing an experience on the Jersey Shore, sounds of a beach are a just a car-free ride away. both NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast and Atlantic City (Continued on page 7) SUBDIVISION “B” CAR ASSIGNMENTS CARS REQUIRED JULY 2, 2018 The following are different from the assignments that appeared in the July, 2018 Bulletin:

LINE AM RUSH PM RUSH

A 80 R-32, 216 R-46 80 R-32, 244 R-46, 8 R-68A

G (as of July 9) 8 R-46, 48 R-68, 4 R-68A 48 R-68, 4 R-68A (no change)

S 40 R-46 40 R-46 The A and S changes are due to Recovery and Re- Operation) suspended. siliency work at Hammels that affects service south The G change is to reduce passenger surge volumes of Beach 67th Street. Far Rockaway A trains are divert- at Court Square during the removal of the moving walk- ed to Rockaway Park. S Rockaway service operates way in the passageway between the G and EM plat- between Rockaway Park and Far Rockaway, with trains forms. Two additional G trains operate between Court lengthened to 600 feet and OPTO (One Person Train Square and Bedford-Nostrand.

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ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018 Rail Traction to the Region’s Beaches (Continued from page 6)

Five sets of R46s laid up at Rockaway Park Yard. A trains have A Rockaway Park-bound A train at B. 90th Street. been a far more common sight here this summer due to track work Alexander Ivanoff photograph at Hammels Wye. Alexander Ivanoff photograph

A DE30AC and two DM30ACs at Montauk Yard. Just like in yester- A view of Fort Pond Bay from inside one of the Long Island Rail years, the yard is quite busy during the summer. Road’s C3 bilevel coaches. This was your author’s first time on them Alexander Ivanoff photograph and I was fairly impressed by them. Alexander Ivanoff photograph

The track display at Grand Central for the . Your author disagrees with the Amtrak way of having state/province abbreviations, as it does not keep with Metro-North’s format. If Amtrak were to split operations for the Empire Service, I would hope the Amtrak P32AC-DM 705 at Track 38 at Grand Central Terminal. There MNRR format is has been talk that at a later date Amtrak will modify Metro-North’s adopted. dual-modes with the Amtrak design, as Amtrak’s retrofit is more Alexander Ivanoff pho- watertight and thus less susceptible to locomotive nose corrosion. tograph Alexander Ivanoff photograph

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000

Commuter and Transit Notes No. 355 by Ronald Yee and Alexander Ivanoff MTA Long Island Rail Road use eastbound Ronkonkoma trains 18 minutes earlier or MTA announced the completion of the signal up- 42 minutes later. (LIRR press release, July 18) grades for Harold Interlocking in Sunnyside, Queens. The LIRR, upon completion of the double-tracking pro- The old centralized control point (formerly Harold Tow- ject between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma, will finally er) governing all signals and switches was replaced with be able to operate reverse-peak train service not possi- a new decentralized, microprocessor-based system, ble with the original single track and passing siding con- splitting the control of the interlocking amongst six sepa- figuration of the line. Immediate service improvements rate control points, where a failure in one controller proposed for the schedule to be effective September 3, would not affect or cascade over to the entire interlock- 2018 include: an extension of train #2300, departing ing. This will dramatically improve the reliability and re- Penn Station at 6:07 AM, will be able to operate east of siliency of the busiest interlocking in North America, its present terminus at Farmingdale all the way to handling LIRR and Amtrak trains. In addition to new sig- Ronkonkoma, offering a connection to Train #202 de- nals and controls, the interlocking has also received parting Ronkonkoma at 7:30 AM and arriving at 8:54 AM new switches, , and catenary as well as prepa- into Greenport. Two evening reverse peak trains, #2351 rations to realign Track 4 which had been on a tempo- and #2355, will originate from Ronkonkoma at 5:57 PM rary and slower speed alignment during the Harold re- and 6:36 PM respectively instead of Farmingdale. Train building and reconfiguration. The completion of this #2355 will also connect with Greenport Train #253 and work will clear the way for the final phase of the LIRR provide a new reverse peak travel option for passen- (ESA) terminal at Grand Central Ter- gers traveling in the evening reverse peak direction. minal, during which all four of its tunnels will be physi- Train #2008 departing Penn Station at 7:39 AM will add cally connected to the LIRR at Harold. Contracts for that station stops at Bethpage and Wyandanch and Train final stage will be awarded later this Summer with work #2061 departing Ronkonkoma at 4:48 PM will add sta- commencing during Fall, 2018. The entire Harold Inter- tion stops at Brentwood and Wyandanch. Prior to the locking project is expected to cost $1.5 billion when it is double-tracking of the line, this was not possible as completed with all of its connections to LIRR-ESA. trains had to skip select stations in order to pass (Railway Track and Structures, July 13) through a single-track section as quickly as possible to New schedules were placed into effect systemwide minimize their impact on peak direction train traffic. Add- on the LIRR spanning a six-week period from July 21- ing those stations will require some minor adjustments September 3. The schedules will not only permit the to their schedules. Finally, the second track will provide aforementioned trackwork to be performed, but also improved service reliability and resiliency with the ability reflect the completion of a phase of ongoing Penn Sta- to use the second track to bypass disabled trains or tion track work by Amtrak that had forced a reduction in track outages that currently cripple service on the sin- the number of trains the station complex could handle gle-track line. (LIRR press release, July 23) since January. On the Babylon Branch, the 8:25 AM On Saturday evening, July 21, an equipment move train from Freeport stopping at Baldwin, Rockville Cen- from the LIRR’s into Penn Station de- ter, and Jamaica once again terminates at Penn Station railed two cars mid-consist of an M-7 electric multiple instead of in Brooklyn. On the Far unit commuter train. Aside from re-railing and removing Rockaway Branch, the 8:10 AM and 5:53 PM trains the two derailed cars, several sections of track and making all stops from Far Rockaway to Valley Stream crossovers were damaged, requiring replacement or returned to Penn Station. The morning train had been repair. While efforts were made to complete the track diverted to Hunterspoint Avenue and the evening train and switch repairs prior to the Monday morning peak diverted to Atlantic Terminal since January. The 5:32 PM period, it could not be completed in time to permit ac- once again originates at Penn Station (it had been origi- cess to all of the tracks in the yard. Late on Sunday nating at Jamaica). On the Hempstead Branch, the 7:05 evening, the LIRR announced that eight Penn Station- PM from Penn Station once again departs from Penn bound trains would be either cancelled or terminated at Station, not Atlantic Terminal. On the Port Jefferson Jamaica on Monday, July 23. As repairs could not be Branch, the 5:06 PM from Penn Station to Syosset, completed before the evening peak, seven PM peak Cold Spring Harbor, and Huntington, and the Port trains had to be cancelled. Normal service was resumed Washington Branch’s 5:50 PM to Bayside, Douglaston, for Tuesday. ABC and NBC video coverage showed M-7 Little Neck, and Great Neck are both restored. These car 7364 leaning at an approximately 30 degree angle trains allowed the 5:33 PM from Penn Station to once with the left front corner of its front end crunched into a again terminate at Hicksville and 5:49 PM from Hunter- concrete abutment and M-7 car 7012 being re-railed by spoint to operate express through Huntington. Lastly, a Metro-North Railroad hi-rail crane. (ABC, NBC-TV the 1:32 PM from Penn Station to Farmingdale was re- News, July 23) moved from the schedule, with passengers advised to (Continued on page 9)

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ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018

Commuter and Transit Notes equipment from the station, without finding a suitable new location to display it. GG-1 4859 is of historical sig- (Continued from page 8) nificance as it was the first electric locomotive to haul a MTA Metro-North Railroad passenger train into Harrisburg in January, 1938, just a Using funds “saved” when select Pascack Valley Line month after it was built in Altoona, Pennsylvania and trains, including all but one AM peak express train, were delivered to the . (Editor’s Note by cancelled to facilitate the installation of Positive Train Ronald Yee: While the locomotive and caboose are left sitting Control (PTC), the Nanuet station will receive a facelift on that isolated siding while a new permanent home is con- including a repainting of the entire station platform can- structed, temporary chain link fencing should be erected all opy, installation of bird netting, repairing an access around it with some security lighting shining on it on both ramp, and replacing a passenger shelter. In addition, sides to ward off vandalism.) (Al Holtz, July 16) Metro-North agreed to add two cars to Train #1616, The departure of the 6:30 AM North Carolina Depart- making the sole remaining express train to Hoboken a ment of Transportation train to Charlotte on July 10 ush- six-car train, cross-honor Pascack Valley Line tickets on ered in the next chapter in intercity rail transportation the Port Jervis Line as well as the Haverstraw/Ossining with the opening of the new Union Station at 510 West ferries, and east-of-Hudson trains, and coordinate with Martin Street in Raleigh. Four daily round trips as well Rockland County for the Tappan ZEExpress bus ser- as Amtrak’s Silver Star will stop at this new facility, vice. (Lohud.com, July 19) which has a 9,200-square-foot passenger waiting and Connecticut Department of Transportation seating area and a 920-foot-long center island platform CTrail ridership during its first week of operation, June between two newly built tracks serving only passenger 18-24, when fares were charged, exceeded expecta- trains. This track configuration permits freight trains to tions, topping off at 10,719 as announced by Connecti- safely bypass the Raleigh passenger station’s platform cut Governor Dannel Malloy, who declared the new tracks without delay. (Al Holtz, July 11) $760 million Hartford Line a commuter rail success. Museums There is confidence that ridership will continue to grow The Branford Electric Railway Association (BERA/ as more people are attracted to the new service as an Shore Line Trolley Museum) sent out an email on July alternative to the traffic-clogged Interstate 91 and spur 24 that the Board of Trustees intended to deaccession development along the corridor spanning from New Ha- Atlantic City Transportation car 250 from BERA’s collec- ven to Hartford, Connecticut and onward to Springfield, tion. Car 250 had been acquired from the Trolley Muse- Massachusetts. (masslive.com, June 26) um of New York in 2007 but was not intended to be part Amtrak of the collection. It was owned by the late Bruce Thain, Amtrak and the Harrisburg Chapter of the National who recently passed. Railway Historical Society are undergoing negotiations The car was relocated in 2007 to Thain’s Guilford, on a temporary and possibly future permanent home for Connecticut property and stored there, with little work GG-1 4859 and a Pennsylvania Railroad class N6B ca- having been done to the car in the last decade, with the boose that had been on display at the Harrisburg station car in poor condition. BERA reported the car needed to for decades. Both pieces of historic equipment have be moved. BERA’s Collections Committee recommend- been moved out of the station to a siding while moderni- ed the car be donated to the North Jersey Electric Rail- zation work is done to the Harrisburg station which in- way Historical Society (NJERHS). Car 250 will join Pub- cludes a total upgrade of that station and its facilities. lic Service car 2651 as part of the NJERHS collection. The track and platform that formerly housed the GG-1 Due to an oversight error from November of 2015, and caboose are being upgraded to a high-level plat- BERA is acting to correct the accession list to remove form to meet the requirements of the Americans with car 250 to allow the donation to the NJERHS at the mu- Disabilities Act (ADA). Once the work is complete, there seum’s next regularly scheduled Board meeting on Au- will be high-level platforms for use by Amtrak Harrisburg gust 11. (BERA email, July 24) and Pennsylvanian services and those tracks will no In other BERA news, the State of Connecticut has longer be available for display purposes. Two alterna- awarded the Shore Line Trolley Museum a $1.5 million tives are the front-runners thus far: construction of a bonding grant. This money will be used to provide fire new track at the station, albeit leaving the equipment safety to the collection, move the shop to Building 9, partially exposed to the elements, or moving the equip- and provide a new restroom facility in the yard area. ment 1,000 feet north of the station to a new pavilion Planning is underway. (BERA email, July 26) adjacent to Harris Tower that would shelter the locomo- Other Transit Systems tive and caboose from the elements. The President of Boston, Massachusetts the NRHS chapter has expressed a preference for the Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and officials construction of a new track within the Harrisburg station from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority track complex so that the GG-1 and caboose can be (MBTA) unveiled the first of 24 new low-floor LRVs seen by customers using the station. As the GG-1 is (Light Rail Vehicles) ordered by the MBTA to provide the officially listed on the National Register of Historic Plac- cars necessary to serve the extension of the Green Line es, Amtrak, using federal funds, cannot place the NRHS into Somerset. This extension is expected to open in and its interests at a disadvantage, namely evicting the (Continued on page 10)

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000

Commuter and Transit Notes dents in which visually impaired customers have fallen between the cars while trying to board, mistaking the (Continued from page 9) gap between cars for doorways. The rubber barriers at 2022, around four years after the June, 2018 ground- the car ends have proven ineffective as a safety barrier breaking. CAF-USA will receive carbody shells and to prevent such mishaps. WMATA expects to begin ret- frames from Spain at its Elmira, New York plant, assem- rofitting all of its 7000s with safety chains at a pace of ble the cars with components made in the United 50 cars per month and attempt to meet a year-end FTA States, and test them prior to delivery to the MBTA. The deadline. There is a possibility that non-compliant cars new LRVs are expected to carry 10% more passengers may have to be removed from service on January 1, than existing LRVs and new-design sliding doors will 2019, resulting in a temporary car shortage and poten- reduce station dwell times by smoothing passenger flow tial 26% reduction in train service. The structurally defi- during the boarding process. The first of the new LRVs cient 1000-class and unreliable 4000-class cars have are expected to enter service in September and feature already been retired. For the time being, automated ex- an advanced structural design with crash energy man- ternal PA announcements are being made as a train agement, a first for LRVs in the United States. makes its station stop pronouncing “this is a 7000- (Progressive Railroading, July 20) series railcar” to alert the visually impaired and blind to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the hazard. (Editor’s Note by Ronald Yee: It is hoped that SEPTA placed the first of 15 ACS-64 electric locomo- the retirement and removal of the 5000-class cars being re- tives (901) into service on Wednesday, July 11. Built by placed by the 7000s is suspended until these two major issues Siemens of Sacramento, California, they will replace, are resolved to mitigate any car shortages.) (Greater Wash- then expand upon, the current seven 1990-vintage ington.org, July 18) AEM-7 (2301-7) and one 1998-vintage ALP-44 (2308) , Illinois electric locomotives, which will be retired as the new Because only one manufacturer, CRRC, submitted a units go into service. The added locomotives will even- bid for the April, 2017 RFP (Request for Proposals) for tually be used to haul the 45 multi-level commuter 75 Gallery commuter coaches with options for additional coaches currently on order with CRRC to be built at its cars, Metra will re-issue the RFP and, as a first, consid- Springfield, Massachusetts factory for $137.5 million. er alternatives to the classic Gallery cars most associat- (Philly Voice, SEPTA, July 12) ed with Chicago’s commuter rail scene. Such bi-level or SEPTA “KEY” Turnstiles went into service on Monday, multi-level cars may permit a low-floor design to enable July 23 at the 30th Street station. They will be in effect the cars to meet ADA requirements for platform level Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 8 PM. The turnstiles boarding for passengers with disabilities. It is hoped that will be set to “free-wheel“ and permit unlimited access the re-issue of the RFP will encourage innovative de- at all other times and during weekends and holidays sign as well as a more economical purchase price per with customers paying their fares to the train’s Conduc- car. (Progressive Railroading, July 19) tor. During the times the turnstiles are in service, cus- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Transit Au- tomers must swipe the magnetic stripe of their SEPTA thority (CTA) President Dorval Carter, Jr., and the Trailpass on the reader at the top of the turnstile. Sen- Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities announced iors and reduced-fare Key Card holders will be required that the CTA plans to make all of its stations fully acces- to purchase the correct Regional Rail ticket at the sales sible to persons with disabilities. The All Stations Acces- office and present those tickets with their photo ID. Pas- sibility Program (ASAP) is expected to take around 20 sengers exiting the station will simply exit through any years, modernize 42 stations currently not accessible to turnstile, rotogate, or ADA exit gate without swiping a the disabled, and upgrade or replace elevators and es- fare media card. (SEPTA press release, July, 2018) calators at 162 stations with existing elevators and es- Washington, D.C. area calators. This continues a program the Mayor has initi- A systemic fault in soldering quality of components ated with the CTA which has already made 71% of its discovered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit system’s stations accessible using ramps or elevators. Authority (WMATA) led to a decision to suspend the Stations upgraded include the Red Line’s Wilson, Gar- ongoing delivery of the 7000-class Metro cars on May 9. field, 63rd, and 87th Streets, and Addison on the Blue At that time, 564 of the 748 cars ordered from Kawasaki Line and Quincy in the Loop by the end of 2018 and had been delivered. When the soldering issue is re- three new accessible stations at Morgan on the Pink solved, deliveries at a pace of 20 cars per month are Line, Cermak-McCormack Place on the Green Line, expected to resume. No delivery resumption date has and Washington/Wabash in the Loop, which replaced been set as WMATA and Kawasaki technicians inspect two older stations that could not be retrofitted economi- all of the 564 cars delivered thus far as well as those cally. Challenges at the stations to be rebuilt include completed at the Lincoln, Nebraska factory for defective historical aspects, century-old structures, and design soldering work and rectify them. In the meanwhile, an- and street-level space constraints. (Chicago Transit Au- other issue with the 7000s has arisen that has resulted thority, July 19) in an FTA (Federal Transit Administration)-mandated Minneapolis, Minnesota installation of safety chains between cars. Since the A dispute between a freight rail operator and Twin Cit- 7000s went into service, there have been three inci- (Continued on page 11)

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ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018 Commuter and Transit Notes cars (100-153) by the end of August. These cars were built in 1990 for the opening of the Long Beach Blue (Continued from page 10) Line. Car 144 will be donated to the Orange Empire ies transit planners is coming to an end, clearing one of Railway Museum located in Perris, California. These the biggest obstacles to construction of the Southwest cars are being replaced by P3010 class cars built by light rail line, the largest public works project in the Kinkisharyo. The 15 P2020 class cars, built by Nippon- state. Sharyo in 1994-5 (154-168) and almost identical in ap- A pact struck with Glencoe-based Twin Cities & West- pearance to the P865, will continue in service on the ern Railroad (TC&W) would allow light rail and freight Blue and Expo Lines for around another five years be- trains to share part of the nearly 15-mile corridor be- fore being retired. (Progressive Railroading, July 12) tween downtown and Eden Prairie. San Diego, California The deal still needs final approval from the Metropoli- The NCTD (North County Transit District) Board of tan Council, Hennepin County Regional Railroad Au- Directors approved an order for five Siemens Charger thority and the federal Surface Transportation Board, diesel locomotives scheduled for delivery between but officials emphasized its importance in announcing it March and June, 2021 and to be placed into service July 16. after three to six months of acceptance testing. They Southwest Light Rail, a $2 billion extension of the ex- will, on a one-for-one basis, replace existing engines isting Green Line, is slated to begin service in 2023. dating back to 1975-92 that have reached the end of Between Minneapolis and Eden Prairie, stops are their expected service lives. The new units cost over planned for St. Louis Park, Hopkins and Minnetonka. $37 million but will be 16% more fuel efficient and have In the works for decades, Southwest has encountered just 10% of the emissions of the older units they re- numerous delays and cost increases due to a range of place. They will also enable NCTD to operate an addi- issues, from litigation by neighbors to a crash-protection tional 36 additional Coaster trips each week, six per wall between freight and LRT trains. (Minneapolis Star weekday and three each on Saturdays and Sundays. Tribune via Mass Transit Magazine, July 17) This order was tacked onto an existing joint order al- Denver, Colorado ready being built for the California and Illinois Depart- 26 months after the opening of the University of Colo- ments of Transportation. (Metro, July 9) rado A Line, the CPUC (Colorado Public Utilities Com- Paris, France mission) and the FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) The coordinated deployment of the ERTMS train con- gave permission to the RTD (Regional Transportation trol system on the high-speed rail routes linking London, District) to remove flagger protections during June at six Paris, and Brussels was agreed by the four infrastruc- of the 11 grade crossings along the A Line connecting ture managers at a meeting in Paris on July 19. downtown Denver with Denver International Airport. Channel Tunnel operator Getlink, the United King- Flaggers had been required at the 11 grade crossings dom’s High Speed 1, France’s SNCF Reseau, and Bel- since the line’s opening on April 22, 2016 due to soft- gium’s Infrabel have committed to developing a com- ware issues affecting the reliability of the quad-gate mon strategy for implementation. They will share exper- grade crossing barriers that were intended to establish tise, select a uniform technical system, and work to a quiet zones all along the line. The six crossings are: common deployment schedule with the aim of maximiz- Clayton, Steele, Holly, Dahlia, Havana, and Chambers. ing economies of scale. The RTD is now working with the FRA and CPUC to The deployment of ERTMS on the international high- remove the flaggers from the remaining five grade speed routes is intended to improve interoperability, crossings. (Railway Track and Structures, June 22) capacity, and punctuality while avoiding any problems Almost two years after it had originally been sched- arising from obsolescence of the existing TVM430 train uled to open for service, Denver’s RTD received per- control system. (Railway Gazette, July 20) mission from the FRA to commence the next phase of Sofia, Bulgaria testing prior to the line’s eventual opening. Up to three Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova and Sofia Metropo- trains will operate over the entire 11.2-mile-long G Line liten CEO Stoyan Bratoev have visited the first train for from Denver Union Station to Wheat Ridge. It will fully metro Line 3 following its delivery to Sofia. The train simulate 21 hours of passenger operation and familiar- was transported by road from Newag’s Nowy Sacz fac- ize Train Operators with the line. No date has been set tory in Poland. Each of the three cars was carried on a for an opening day for passenger service. The delays separate vehicle. have been largely attributed to a lack of confidence in In September, 2015 a consortium of Siemens and the reliability of the grade crossing protection systems Newag was awarded a €140 million contract to supply identical to that used on the A Line, requiring the use of rolling stock and signaling for the first phase of the east- flag persons since opening day. (Progressive Rail- west Line 3, which is due to open in 2019. The base roading, July 23) order is for 20 three-car sets and the contract includes Los Angeles, California an option for 10 more. LAMTA (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transporta- The vehicles are based on Siemens’ Inspiro trains that tion Authority) will complete the year-long process of are operating in Warsaw. Siemens is supplying car bod- retiring the 54 car fleet of Nippon-Sharyo P865 light rail (Continued on page 12)

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000 Commuter and Transit Notes tion of the second largest municipality in the Donetsk (Donbass) region had increased by 20% in recent years (Continued from page 11) as a result of the arrival of 100,000 internally displaced ies from its Vienna plant and bogies from Graz. Final persons (due to the civil war in the Donbass region), assembly is taking place at Newag’s plant, and Newag and demand for public transport was increasing. will be responsible for servicing during the warranty pe- The new trolleybuses will be used on existing routes riod. and to expand the network to serve the seafront Mor- The trains are being built with driver’s cabs, although skoy Boulevard. They will provide easier access for the line will be equipped for GoA3 automated operation. passengers reduced mobility, and are expected to re- They will use overhead electrification and are equipped duce the fleet’s electricity consumption by 40%. with air-conditioning. (Metro Report International, July EBRD will also provide €460,000 in technical assis- 19) tance grants to support project implementation and the Ukraine restructuring of MTTU on more commercial lines. GEVO’s in Ukraine? It is a thing! General Electric (Editor’s Note by Alexander Ivanoff: While some might take Transportation has rolled out the first of 30 TE33A Evo- issue with this non-rail-related article being in here, I felt it lution Series locomotives which it is building for Ukraini- fitting as two of ERA’s most active contributors have made an Railways (UZ) at its Erie, Pennsylvania plant. The trips to Ukraine recently and despite the heartbreak that is final 10% of assembly work as well as painting of the the civil war in the eastern part of the country, Ukraine is locomotives is to be undertaken in Ukraine under the another home to me, having been there twice during my high Ukrainian equivalent of “Buy American” laws. Both Chi- school years.) (Metro Report International, July 13) nese and European builders bid for the contract. St. Petersburg, Russia UZ ordered the locomotives on February 23 to meet a PK Transportnye Systemy presented its newest tram requirement for additional locos to haul heavy bulk agri- model at its St. Petersburg factory on July 20. cultural product and metals trains. The modern locomo- The single-section 100% low-floor Lionet left the work- tives are replacing UZ’s legacy diesel fleet, 90% of shop driven by a traction battery along a short section of which is estimated to have exceeded its planned ser- catenary-free track. Designated 71-911M, the Lionet is vice life and can safely be assumed to date back to the a development of the City Star model. PK TS has made Soviet era. 38 City Stars, and the largest fleet is in Rostov-na- The order was placed a part of a framework agree- Donu. The Lionet features changes in the interior and ment which includes provision for General Electric to exterior design, as well as a redesigned driver’s cab. deliver kits for the assembly of up to 195 additional lo- The Lionet and three-section Lion, the first of which is comotives over 10 years, to provide long-term mainte- currently being assembled in St Petersburg, will be dis- nance services and assist in modernizing UZ’s existing played at InnoTrans 2018 in Berlin in September. Both fleet, which could take the overall value to US$1 billion. models will be there in their 1,435-millimeter versions. Regular maintenance is to be performed at UZ’s region- PK TS plans to undertake trial runs of Lionet in Roma- al depots, with General Electric providing support for nia later in the year, before a longer period of dynamic more extensive scheduled overhauls. testing in the Russian city of Perm. This follows the Originally developed the Kazakhstan, the TE33A is signing of a co-operation agreement between Perm mu- derived from General Electric’s North American nicipality and PK TS on July 18. (Metro Report Interna- ES44AC design, adapted for the 1,520-millimeter gauge tional, July 23) market and complying with GOST (Russian and Euro- Israel Asia) technical standards. Powered by a 12-cylinder National operator Israel Railways has awarded gov- 4,500-horsepower Evolution Series engine that meets ernment-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems a UIC Stage IIIa emission standards, it is designed for US$8.2 million contract for the development of a Cyber operation in temperatures between -60°C (-76°F) and Security Operation Centre. +45°C (+113°F). (Railway Gazette, July 19) This is intended to provide ISR with improved monitor- The European Bank for Reconstruction & Develop- ing and control capabilities, and better protection ment is providing Mariupol city transport operator MTTU against attempts to penetrate and attack its electronic with a loan of up to €13 million to finance the acquisition systems. of up to 72 low-floor trolleybuses, spare parts, and The CSOC will be adjacent to the central control facili- maintenance equipment, and the modernization of the ty which is under construction at ISR’s headquarters in existing depot and electrification equipment. Lod, and will be staffed and operated by ISR. The loan will be secured by a municipal guarantee The National Cyber Security Authority has classified and complemented by a loan of up to €2 million from the rail network as critical infrastructure, while ISR be- the Clean Technology Fund and a €3 million grant from lieves it is more at risk of cyber attack than comparable the European Union-backed Eastern Europe Energy rail operators in other countries. (Railway Gazette, July Efficiency and Environment Partnership. 19) Announcing the loan on July 6, EBRD said the popula-

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ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018 SWITZERLAND IN THE LATE SUMMER by Jack May (Photographs by the author) (Continued from July, 2018 issue) We woke up in the morning with the realization that pine garden. The views are outstanding, with the Eiger, this would be our last full day in Europe; all good things Monch, and Jungfrau looming as the most distinctive must come to an end. But there were still a few items to peaks. But they are positioned to the south, and I found accomplish and so we had to make hay while the sun it tricky to photograph them until I was able to discover shines — and so it did on this blue-sky morning. We a way to prevent the sun from reflecting directly into my would be spending the night in Milan and since we did camera lens. The Swiss tourism folks clearly knew that, not want to go back up the mountain to pick up our lug- and they had planted "frames" in the ground at eye gage, we took our bags with us after breakfast and rode height for just that purpose. Positioning my camera at the BOB's 8:03 down to Wilderswil, arriving at 8:19. We an appropriate angle behind one of these rectangles had seen lockers on the station's platform two days ear- allowed my lens to be in shadow while I composed and lier and a number of them were vacant, waiting breath- took photos. On this date the view from the peak also lessly for our luggage. Our cog-wheel train to Schynige included a layer of mist that made some of the moun- Platte was due out at 8:45 and we were among the first tains appear to be rising from clouds rather than the to board, just as the sun was clearing the mountains. ground. Each train on this steep and scenic 800-millimeter It was a bit early for the crowds and we were able to gauge Schynige Platte Bahn (SPB) consists of an elec- explore the area with little contact with others. Being the tric locomotive pushing two cars up the mountain under end of the season the somewhat hilly garden was not in 1,500-volt d.c. catenary (or retarding them on the return full bloom, but there were enough flowers to keep trip). Similar to the steam-operated Brienz Rothorn Clare's interest and allow some good photographs. Bahn, the trains run in packs (convoys). Like the BRB, Those with a botanical bent would be best served by the railway is entirely rack-operated and climbs grades visiting Schynige Platte in the middle of the summer. of up to 25 percent, but rather than employing the dou- We did not see the 10:17 train arrive, but were back in ble Abt system, Riggenbach technology is used (same time for the 10:57, which had two packed sections. The as its BOB parent). The single-track railway was visitors were received by two musicians in costume opened in 1893, but was not electrified until 1914. playing Swiss horns — a traditional oom-pah-pah greet- In fact, like the old Furka before the base tunnel was ing — and were directed to the hotel and all of its facili- built, the overhead system has to be dismantled every ties. Very colorful. year because of heavy winter snowfall and occasional I photographed those trains as they pulled in and we avalanches. Thus the line runs only from the end of May boarded the second of the two that made up the 11:01 to the end of October, but I found out that even during departure. This allowed me to get good photos of the this period there are still days when it is not wise to ride first section of this short platoon on the line' s acutely it. In July, 1989 I reached Wilderswil with a ticket in angled cutback-style curves — some with beautiful hand (purchased in Interlaken), but upon my arrival I backgrounds. There are two passing sidings and we ran was offered a refund, being told that the top of the by a three-section pack (10:45 ex-Wilderswil) and later mountain was totally fogged in. The agent said they a two-section group (11:25 departure) at the "loops." were operating, but I would be disappointed if I rode the The latter included what appeared to be wooden muse- line. I took her advice and ended up spending the day in um or heritage cars. Our arrival back in Wilderswil was Bern, where I met another tourist traveling alone, who on time at 11:53. lived in Indianapolis (Speedway) and turned out to be Now what to do? Our initial plan was to pick up our the next-door neighbor of a member of the trade associ- luggage and continue to Milan on the 12:49 using con- ation with which I was associated. It is a rare trip that nections that would bring us to the Italian city at 16:35; coincidences of this sort do not occur. our backup strategy was a departure one hour later. But Thus this would be my first trip over the line. The it was sunny and we had not gotten good photos of the trains operate every 40 minutes with an end-to-end run- BLM along the ledge to Murren with the mountains in ning time of 52 minutes. As we ascended we operated the background. We made a quick decision to stay for alongside the meter-gauge BOB for a short distance, another three hours, which meant a much later arrival in but then turned away. We passed a "down train," but it Milan, as there were no through trains via the Simplon was in shadow because of the low sun. After four-and-a Tunnel that late in the afternoon. However, there were -half miles we reached the kulm, 6,520 feet up, at 9:37, connecting locals and regional trains, which would re- having climbed some 4,660 feet, about ⅞ of a mile, in a sult in the trip extending for an extra hour, with an arrival little less than an hour. time of 20:31. But if something went wrong, … The summit contains a hotel, the usual restaurant fa- (Continued on page 14) cilities and tourist shops, and most interestingly, an al-

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NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000 Switzerland in the Late Summer (Continued from page 13)

Two views from the platform of the 800-millimeter gauge rack line to Schynige Platte at Wilderswil, the “down mountain” terminal. The gentleman advertising the line loves skateboarding. The tracks at left are used by the meter-gauge Bernese Oberland Bahn.

Despite a schedule that calls for operations only from June to October, the SPB has this contraption to deal with the occasional snowstorm that can occur at any time.

Views from the summit station of the railroad, some 6,520 feet above sea level. The Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau appear to be rising from the early morning mist.

(Continued on page 15) 14

ERA BULLETIN — AUGUST, 2018 Switzerland in the Late Summer (Continued from page 14)

Two close-up views of the SPB's motive power and its two-car trains at the Schynige Platte terminal. The locomotives, operating at 1,500 volts d.c. and on the Riggenbach rack system, were built for the similar 800-millimeter gauge Wengernalp cog railway between 1910 and 1912 — and became hand-me-downs between the 1960s and 1990s. The electrical equipment was built by pioneer manufacturer Alioth, which was merged into Brown-Boveri in 1911. The photo at right features a sign advertising the Alpine Garden, one of the summit's tourist attractions.

Two views shooting forward from the second train of a convoy returning to the SPB's base at Wilderswil. The town of Interlaken is featured in the photo at right.

On the return trip we passed a train of historic equipment heading up the mountain. The SPB has rolling stock that dates back to its opening as a steam road in 1893. (Continued next issue) 15

NEW YORKERA DIVISION BULLETIN BULLETIN — AUGUST, OCTOBER, 2018 2000 Around New York’s Transit System

Museum Train Operates to Coney Island nities over which the line runs, some samples testing NYC Transit operated a New York Transit Museum over 40 times the 5,000 parts per million safe limit excursion train from to Coney Island-Stillwell threshold. As a result, the repainting work will include a Avenue on Sunday, July 8. The train consist was: S- total stripping of all layers of existing paint down to the 2390-2391-2392-6095ABC-N, one former BMT B-Type bare metal, identification and remediation/repair of any “Standard” and a D-Type “Triplex” unit. The train origi- structural defects, then three coats of modern lead-free nated out of 207th Street Yard and, due to the multitude paint including one layer of primer sealant. (Editor’s Note of planned construction and repair related General Or- by Ronald Yee: The section of elevated structure from north of rd ders in effect that day and the “flipping” of the D and F 103 Street-Corona Plaza to Mets-Willets Point was repaint- routes in Brooklyn (D on the Culver elevated line and ed just a few years ago in conjunction with the opening of F on the West End elevated line), it was forced to take Citi Field in 2009. It is unclear if that section of the structure a circuitous routing via the Eighth Avenue Line to Jay needs to be totally stripped and repainted, as the paint (as Street-MetroTech and over the Culver elevated to Still- observed from street level on July 17) is still in good condi- tion. Despite that, it may still be ordered as a lead paint re- well Avenue and then return north on the Brighton Line th mediation effort.) following the entire route of the Q train to reach 96 Clark Street Tunnel “Fix and Fortify” Project Com- Street-Second Avenue, where the trip officially began at pleted around 11 AM. The excursion train retraced its on NYCT completed the “Fix and Fortify” project for the the Q back to Stillwell Avenue, where it discharged and two 1.2-mile-long Clark Street Tubes, which carry over laid up in the yard for the midday. At around 4 PM, the 145,000 daily riders on the 2 and 3 routes between train returned to Stillwell Avenue, where it received its lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. The tunnels had been excursion passengers and made a run back to Manhat- closed almost every weekend for the past six months to tan via the Culver elevated and enabled the train to eas- th permit the replacement, repair, and upgrading of critical ily return to its home base at 207 Street Yard. While components in the tunnel including 11,000 feet of discharge stops were made at select stations enroute, th benchwall and conduit damaged from saltwater flooding the final passenger discharge station stop was at 175 during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, 99,000 feet of copper Street on the A train. (Editor’s Note by Ronald Yee: Of communication, 54,000 feet of fiber optic cable, 29,000 interest with this consist is how it is coupled together. To ena- feet of radio antenna, and 32,000 feet of signal cable as ble the vintage pre-World War II subway cars to operate as a well as 1,500 feet of track. Critical items such as com- multiple unit (MU) train, the coupler on B-Type 2392 has munications and signal control equipment and emer- been modified so that it can MU with D-Types and R-1 to R-9 gency water pumps and their controls were upgraded equipment. The coupler of B-Type 2390 is still un-modified. and in some cases, raised or moved to locations less The couplers on both ends of the D-Type “Triplex” (6095A vulnerable to flooding. Measures to prevent future flood- and 6095C) and D-Type 6112A have already been modified to ing from storm surges were installed. make them compatible with the R-1 to R-9. At some point in CBTC Activated on More of Flushing Line the near future, the coupler at the other end (6112C) will also A ride on the Flushing Line and observation of the sig- be modified for R-1 to R-9 compatibility. It is important to remember that although these modifications will enable MU nals reveals that the CBTC (Communication-Based operations with regard to propulsion and braking, they will Train Control) signal system has been activated on the southbound local track between Mets-Willets Point and NOT permit train-lined door operation between the historic th sets.) the northern limits of 74 Street Interlocking. This marks another phase of gradual cut-ins of the new signals on Flushing Line Rehabilitation Project rd NYC Transit began a two-year-long, $45 million pro- this line. All three tracks between 103 Street and Main Street-Flushing as well as Track M from 33rd Street In- ject that will repaint and restore the steel elevated struc- th ture of the Flushing Line from 48th Street and Queens terlocking to the southern limits of 74 Street Interlock- Boulevard to Mets-Willets Point. Phase one com- ing had already been activated in stages since April, menced in July, 2018, covering the section from Mets- 2018. Full cut-over is still slated by the end of 2018. In nd addition, emergency steel girder replacement was per- Willets Point to 82 Street and Roosevelt Avenue. st Phase two will cover the section from the 82nd Street formed from July 9-27 at 61 Street-Woodside. Two station to the 46th Street station. Testing of paint chips sections of steel girders supporting Track M over the falling off the severely rusting elevated structure station mezzanine had failed, necessitating a 10 mph (mandated by legislation put forth by New York State slow order through the entire station for trains operating Senator Jose Peralta and signed by New York Governor on Track M. New concrete roadbed flooring was poured Andrew Cuomo in December, 2017) revealed that there by July 19 and ties and rails reinstalled during the week was an extreme lead paint contamination to the commu- of July 23.

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